Can Silence be used by asthmatics?

In order to provide some clarity on the issue here is some useful information.

Asthma is quite a serious and incapacitating disease. It affects approximately 3.9 million people in South Africa, having the fourth highest asthma death rate among 5 to 35 year olds.

Mothers are very wary when it comes to asthma.  The mere idea that your child is unable to breathe properly is quite a discomfiting image. In some children asthma can even  be mistaken for sleep apnoea. These children tend to snore which may mask the wheezing sound.

Despite these scary statistics asthma is easily identified and treated. Asthma is mainly caused by exposure to allergens, either in the environment (like pollen) or within your food (like dairy or preservatives) but it can also be caused by extreme exertion (like during sport).

There are 2 main types of asthma: chronic or acute asthma.

Chronic asthma requires a patient to be treated with anti-inflammatories on a long term basis in order to keep the airways open

Acute asthma whereby the patient develops an ad-hoc asthmatic attack and requires a quick-relief inhaler (bronchodilators) to open up respiratory airways.

During an asthmatic attack the bronchi contract, become inflamed and the respiratory airways fill with mucus. This narrows the respiratory airway resulting in difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing.

It is important that you always read the package insert of any medication you take. Silence Anti-Snoring Spray is a great product for reducing snoring but it is contraindicated to asthmatics. The carrageenans and phospholipids are known allergens and may worsen asthma. Please consult your doctor before starting any medication.

On the bright side asthma is a controllable disease and with the correct diagnosis and treatment plan and you can live a happy and busy life.

References:

1. Health24. http://www.health24.com/Medical/Asthma/News/South-Africa-has-worlds-fourth-highest-asthma-death-rate-20130210
2. Sci Flo. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?pid=S0256-95742013000300023&script=sci_arttext
3. Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asthma/basics/treatment/con-20026992

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